


The Circus of the Future

by JustSmileStuffHappens (ksz13)



Series: Buddie / 9-1-1 Prompt Fills [17]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Circus, Crack, Cyberpunk, Dread, Existential Angst, Future, Gen, M/M, Psychological Horror, Steampunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:15:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21983515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksz13/pseuds/JustSmileStuffHappens
Summary: stellarstacey:I had so much fun doing your prompts :) Check out my page for some of them but now it’s your turn!I’M PUTTING THE CHALLENGE OUT THERE FOR ALL MY WRITERS :) TAG ME IF YOU END UP DOING THIS PROMPT -CYBER PUNK / CIRCUS / CHRISTOPHER / HEAVY THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWNGOOD LUCK!!!
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Series: Buddie / 9-1-1 Prompt Fills [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582147
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	The Circus of the Future

**Author's Note:**

> https://stellarstacey.tumblr.com/post/189422646618/i-had-so-much-fun-doing-your-prompts-check-out

[ ](https://justsmilestuffhappens.tumblr.com/image/189423480898)

**_The Circus of the Future!_ **

Buck wasn’t sure how he’d agreed to this.

One second he was eating breakfast with Chris- oh right Christopher, of course that made sense. How could he resists giving in to that smile?

So that’s how they’d arrived at the oddly lit up circus tent that the flier Christopher had somehow found listed as The Circus of the Future or whatever this place was.

The parking lot was empty even though it was listed as having been open for a while and should be open for another few hours.

He had a bad feeling but it was probably just his own childhood fear of clowns after that smoking one caught fire at his birthday party.

He looked over to see Christopher unable to stay still both from his sugary pancakes and possibly excitement.

“I’m sorry to say it but they might be closed Christopher.” He warned as he turned off the car.

“But can we at least try. It says their supposed to be open Buck” he begged with his lip open. The little cheater.

“Okay. Lets go”

There wasn’t a soul aside from them as they got to the ticket booth. It was empty. Buck turned to Christopher before sighing sadly.

“It’s okay buddy. Maybe we can go to the zoo instead.” Christopher deflated at his words making buck sad to his very bones with guilt even if this wasn’t his fault he had agreed to it.

“Hello and welcome!” A voice greeted behind him. The booth lit up as a smiling robot looked at them.

Buck guessed this was their gimmick. But where had to come from the booth was pretty small and open with glass windows.

“Uh. Hi. Two tickets please.”

“Two tickets. Please wait. Printing. 3. 2. 1.” It’s hand come through the opening to release paper from its metallic palm.

“How much?” Buck said taking them as Christopher gasped at the cool feat.

“You’re money isn’t needed here.” With that it looked to fall asleep before buck could finish taking out his wallet.

“It’s free!?” Christopher asked looking at the opened curtains of the tent now.

“I guess so. Let’s see what other interesting stuff they’ve got.” With that buck steered Christopher over through the line to the opening.

Again no one was there but he waved his tickets anyways for a scanner or something. He came to a stop as the machine next to the entrance smoked to life. He placed the tickets on the board and they watched as they were flashed with something like a camera before being dropped into an incinerator?

“Wow. They’re really something huh Chris?”

The first attraction in their path was a mechanical elephant. It looked like it was cybernetic. It’s trunk was billowing smoke as one of it’s legs wasn’t its own and the same went for a tusk.

“Can I pet it?” Christopher asked.

“Uh. I don’t think we should just in case buddy.” He took a picture with his phone only to notice the image was blurry. Hmm.

He wanted to send a picture to Eddie. He’d be out soon and could maybe join them.

Maybe they didn’t want people taking pictures so they could get more visitors. Buck could agree with that, it was in the interest of their business.

Christopher chose the left path at a fork and Buck followed. The kid wanted to lead and buck wouldn’t stop him.

At least with no other people they didn’t have to wait in line or try seeing past others for the exhibits.

“Buck look it says they have a dragon!” Christopher shouted seeing the sign that led to a large pyramid of reflective rainbow chrome.

Buck finished his text to Eddie asking him to swing by after work and if he gave the flier to Chris. This place wasn’t so bad. A little weird but not bad.

They walked into the door that separated upward and downward before coming into a dark room.

Lights flicked on as they looked to what must have been a komodo dragon.

“Ha. See they tricked us. It’s a dragon just not-”

Before buck could finish it’s back sprouted large metallic wings.

“What?” Christopher said stealing the words from buck’s mouth.

“It’s probably just a trick. It’s not real. A hologram or something.”

It’s mouth started to glow blue. Buck jumped in front of Christopher as it breathed fire that would surely hurt like hell.

Buck opened his eyes to see it continuing to try burning them but the flames hit some kind of glass barrier before them.

“Okay. Time to go.”

Buck picked up Christopher to hurry getting no complaints as they moved to exit the pyramid.

He tried calling Eddie while Christopher held on to him but his signal was shit. This wasn’t good.

They come out to see the stations and stands had moved. It was like the layout had been flipped and folded way too easily.

“Chris where did you get that flier?” Buck asked as he started in a straight line towards what he hoped was the exit.

“It was at the front door. I thought it fell in when daddy left for work.” He told buck as they came to a closed wall of the big tent. “Did I do something bad?”

“No buddy. I’m just uh. I’m kinda hungry and thirsty. Lets go outside”

Buck made for another wall hoping it was the entrance they’d come from.

“Daddy?”

“What Chris?” Buck asked seeing him pointing to their side.

Stood there was Eddie. He was just standing there looking at them.

Christopher moved to be let down and go to him.

“Wait buddy no.”

“What’s wrong buck?”

“That’s not your dad.” Buck said shaking his head.

He was wearing the wrong shirt. This morning it had been a solid long sleeve not the plaid monstrosity now.

Not to mention that very shirt was long gone. Buck had accidentally ripped it while they were getting a bit too into it making out in the yard. It was the same as-

Buck pulled out his wallet. He was wearing the same shirt. Holy shit.

Buck moved Christopher behind him. This was like a bad dream, no a nightmare.

“Christopher dad’s at work. He shouldn’t be off yet. That can’t be him. It’s umm. His-”

Eddie or not Eddie whatever they were was now closer. When had they moved.

“Christopher close your eyes” buck asked as he pulled him into his arms and started walking backwards.

It was like some strange child’s game. As long as buck was looking he’d stay perfectly still like the photograph.

Buck tripped backwards thankfully Christopher wouldn’t be hurt but cursing lightly.

It was like whatever hold his gaze held was broken as the doppelganger didn’t stop moving while buck was watching them now. He held on tight to Christopher and his crutches as he booked it.

They ended up in a dead end closed off from other paths.

“No no no no no.”

Buck looked back to see the Eddie droid now blocking their exit.

“I love you.” It smiled right but that voice was wrong.

“Buck I’m scared.” Christopher peeked open his eyes.

“It’s gonna be okay buddy. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.” Buck tried assuring him as the thing drew closer.

“Don’t you want to be together Evan.”

The real Eddie hardly ever called him Evan. He knew buck preferred his nickname.

“I love you.” It said coldly.

Eddie hasn’t told him that yet. Buck wouldn’t push.

“You do love us right Eddie?” He asked.

“You know I do. I love you and Christopher.”

“If you really loved us you would never hurt us and you would help us leave” buck said.

It stopped moving at that and seemed to be thinking it over.

It came closer.

In the next second it was detaching its hand and holding it out to buck.

“The Circus will be closing soon. You need a form of identification to activate the openings. I love you both. Heavy is the heart that carries love.”

As buck moved to grab its hand it moved to kiss his cheek.

It’s lips were cold. There was no love there where it should be.

It stood there still as a statue as buck went to pick up Christopher again.

He needed to get them out of there now.

Buck made their way to the closest wall as lights on certain exhibits shut off and doors closed.

“Come on buddy. Almost there Chris”

“That wasn’t dad right?”

“No. Dad’s fine outside. We’ll go see him once we are too.” Buck told Chris while continuing to speed up towards the exit.

The wall was closed. Or so it seemed. Once they got closer the wall opened up as the center of the hand was flashing.

Buck placed it on the stand similar to their tickets from before as he got Chris out.

He didn’t stop moving till they were at the jeep.

“Buck its disappearing!” Christopher said looking behind them as buck pulled out his keys.

His phone started ringing. He had service again.

He put Chris in and helped him buckle up as he answered it on speaker.

“Buck are you still at that place? What flier are you talking about man. Bobby said I could get off a little early I’m on my way, it’s not too far from the station.”

“Eddie we’re outside. I don’t know what happened. It was so weird, it was like a dream. The tent’s deflating. We were the only one’s in there. There was another you. They made another you!”

“Buck you’re talking crazy. I’m almost there.”

“I don’t know how but they like 3D printed another you Eddie. Christopher saw him. He was wearing that yellow plaid shirt of yours, same as the picture in my wallet. Only it didn’t know your voice or how you’d act.”

Buck was taking a picture of the almost fully deflated tent. The flier was still in the car. He took a picture of it too.

He was driving out of the parking lot as Eddie was pulling up.

“Follow us. This place can’t be safe. Look at it, it’s almost gone but it’s there Eddie please you gotta believe us.”

Eddie followed him as they went in the direction of home. But diverted to the firehouse as it was safer in public.

“I believe you Buck. It sounds unbelievable but you wouldn’t lie to me. I believe you. Chris were gonna go see chimney and the others. That sound good son?”

“The other daddy let us go.” Christopher said not answering him.

“We’ll talk more at the stations.” Eddie didn’t end the call as they pulled into the parking lot.

He came over to grab Chris into a hug kissing him while thanking god him and buck were safe.

Chimney was losing horribly to Christopher earning laughter as buck told Bobby and hen along with Eddie what all had happened.

“That’s weird. Nothing on Google or any other search engine about a circus of the future with robot animals or androids buck.” Hen said showing him her search results.

“But I swear. It was real. All of it. I wasn’t drunk or high or anything I’ll take a lie detector. Chris was there with me.”

“Kid we believe you. You saw what you saw. Eddie saw what was left of the tent. Where’s the flier?” Bobby asked as buck reached in his pocket.

He handed it over and it began to crumble as Bobby unfolded it.

“No. Please. That was my only proof” buck tried to watch the pieces as they turned to dust.

“He took a picture of it” Christopher said as they all moved to look at him and chimney.

“What? he beat me and we’re waiting for the next round to load up.” He apologized.

Buck pulled out his phone. Sure enough the picture was there. With the address, times, and a rendering of the tents strange coloring in its lettering.

“We’ll ask athena. But if someone went to all this trouble I doubt there’s a paper trail.” Bobby said looking worried.

Eddie was looking at the picture again. At the bottom of the flier was small fine print.

“Buck did you see this? One time only. No returns or encores. Don’t miss a once in a lifetime experience.”

“I just read the time and the address. I wouldn’t miss them if they never come back.” He said hand on Eddie’s shoulder both for support after the stressful day they lived through and making sure Eddie was really right beside him.

“It told me it loved me. You haven’t said that to me yet. I used that to trick it into helping us but can you-?”

“I love you buck. Thank you for taking care of Christopher. You don’t want a thank you but I need to say it. This wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know what you were walking into.”

Eddie pulled buck into a hug. He kissed buck on the same cheek only this time he felt the warmth of Eddie against him. Buck’s relaxed a little more as Christopher came over.

“It was scary but it was kinda cool too right buck?” He asked as Eddie fingers ran though his hair.

“Yeah. It wasn’t one bit boring buddy.” Buck said as his stomach grumbled.

As if he were psychic or just had very good timing Bobby was finishing up something quick to eat.

“You’re both safe here kid. You can relax buck. We’ll figure this out, in the mean time, sit down you three.” Bobby ordered lightly as he mixed together the pasta.

Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> https://justsmilestuffhappens.tumblr.com/post/189423480898/stellarstacey-i-had-so-much-fun-doing-your


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